Bustle-spring



(No Model.)

J BOWERS BUSTLE SPRING.

No. 360,136. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

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EINTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES BOWERS, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

BUSTLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 360,136, dated March29, 1887. Application filed October 1 5, 1886. Serial No. 216,311. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES BOWERS. a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, -in the county of Essex and State of New J ersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bustle- Springs;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, refererence beinghad to the accompanying drawings,and to letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved spring-bow forthe bustle of ladies dresses that may be sewed at any desired point inits length to the dress, to provide a more durable and effective springof less Weight than those heretofore in use, and'to reduce the cost ofmanufacture.

The invention consists in an improved springbow, and in the arrangementsand combination of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter setforth, and finally embodied in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters representcorresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure l is a planof a portion of a spring-bow with pieces of elastic sewed to the endsthereof. Fig. 2 is a plan of the spring, showing one way of finishingthe ends thereof. Fig. 3 is a section taken through line :0 in Fig. 2;and Fig. 4 is a plan of the spring in a bowed position, as found in thedress.

In said drawings, a a are two springs, (preferably of steel,) which arearranged parallel with one another, and are held apart by a covering,I). Said covering incloses said springs, and is preferably of muslin,with paper introduced into its texture, which serves to give stiffnessthereto, so that said springs are held in their parted relation moreperfectly. The ends of the united springs are finished by end caps, (Z,which also serve to hold the springs in their parted relation moresecurely. The covering 1) bridges or extends across the space betweenthe springs, producing a web, 6, through which a needle may be inserted,which extends the entire length of the spring A, so that the spring canbe sewed to the dress at any desired point. To the opposite ends of theduplex spring A thus provided are sewed or otherwise secured elasticstraps 0, one of which is provided with a buckle, c, which serves todraw the ends of the spring together and hold said spring at any desiredcurve, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 4.

The advantages of forming the spring A of two narrow strips separated inthe manner described are that a spring is provided in which there is noweak places, such as are produced in forming eyeletholes, by means ofwhich the springs have heretofore been sewed to the garment, that saidspring may be attached at any point to the dress, and that said springhas greater stiffness in proportion to the weight than in the devicesheretofore produced.

When the spring is in use, should the wearer in sitting press the bowedportion inwardly, the power thus exerted causes the straps c to stretchand the steels assume a straighter shape, there being little danger ofsaid steels breaking, inasmuch as they are of uniform strengththroughout their length.

I am aware that somewhat similar springbows have heretofore beenprovided for ladies dresses, and also that springs have been providedfor other purposes in which two parallel wires and between said wires alayer of rubber, leather, gutta-percha, vulcanized fiber, or other likematerial have been inelosed by a covering of cloth and finished at theends with a cap of metal, and I do not claim such a spring. In my devicethe springs b b are held apart by the covering and end caps alone, sothat the seamstress can readily thrust a needle through without suchahinderance as would be presented by layers of rubber, gutta-percha,850., above referred to, and so that the spring may be sewed to thedress easily and readily in its course, and be bowed to give the desiredshape to the dress.

I am aware, also, that certain skirt-supports have been provided with aspring somewhat resembling the one herein described, and I do not claimthis feature, broadly.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is Theimproved bustle spring-bow herein deranged and combined substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this13th day of October, 1886.

JAMES BOXVERS.

fitnesses.

CHARLES H. PELL, WM. S. COBWIN.

